Change gear mechanism



Feb. 14, 1939. c. H. B'lssELL CHANGE GEAR MECHANISM Filed April 28, 19:57

IN VENTOR.' sell Mv ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED ST'EES CHANGE GEAR BIECHANISM Carl H. Bissell, Syracuse, N. VYV., assigner to Crouse-Hinds Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 28,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to change speed gearing, and has as an object a change speed gearing which is particularly economicalin manufacture and efficient in operation, and which will effect a comparatively great number of different speed ratios between a driving and driven shaft.

The invention has as a further object, a change speed gearing mechanism involving a structure by which the gearing is conveniently changed from one ratio to another and secured in any one of several operative positions, and which construction may be housed in a comparatively small space.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is an end elevational View of a frame member in which my change speed gearing mechanism is mounted.

Figure 2 is a View, looking to the left of Figure 1, illustrating the arrangement of the gearing and contiguous portion of the frame member.

The embodiment of the invention as here shown comprises a suitable frame member l in which are rotatably mounted a driving shaft and a driven shaft I2 arranged in parallel relationship.

The frame may be of any suitable size and construction, depending on the machine or device with which the change speed gearing is associated. In the present instance, the structure comprises a portion of. a motor operated traffic signal timer. The power of the motor is applied to the driving shaft Il, and the cycle switching mechanism is associated and operated by the driven shaft I2.

The timer is housed or mounted in a cabinet of such dimensions as to accommodate the timer, and one of the objects of this invention is a change gear construction, the adjustment of which does not add to the over-al1 dimensions of the timer. Inasmuch as the mechanism of the timer per se, forms no part of this invention, only one end portion of the frame is shown, which includes an end plate I3 in which a bearing member |4 is mounted to receive one end of the shaft I2. The complemental end of the shaft I I is mounted upon a bearing member I5 carried by an extension bracket I6 secured to the end late |3. 65 p 1937, Serial No. 139,550I

A plurality of gears I8 aremounted as a unit on the driven shaft I2 and are xed thereto. and rotatable therewith. The gears I8 vary in diameterfrom one end of the unit to the other. A sleeve 20 is slidably mounted upon the driving shaft which is of square, cross sectional form, or provided with a suitable key to provide a driving connection between the shaft and the sleeve 20. The outer surface of the sleeve 20 is cylindrical in form, and one end of a bracket 2| is pivotally mounted thereon. A gear 2,2 is secured to one end of the sleeve and is rotatable therewith, and a collar 23 is secured to the sleeve 2D `on the opposite side of the bracket 2|. With this structure, rotary motion is imparted toI the sleeve 20 and gear 22 by shaft and the entire unit, including the sleeve and bracket 2 I, are slidable axially on the shaft II, and the lower portion of the bracket is movable about the sleeve 20 toward and from the shaft l2. The lower end of the bracket 2| is 'formed or provided with a gear quadrant 24, and one or more gears are rotatably mounted upon the bracket. In the structure disclosed, there are two of such gears, a lower gear 25 and an` intermediate or idler gear 26 meshing with the gears 22 and 25.

VAn elongated pinion 3 0 is rotatably mounted in the Aplate I3 and extends in parallel relationship to the shafts Il, I2, and is arranged in mesh with the gear quadrant 24 on the lower end of, bracket 2|. The teeth of the pinion 30 are of such length as to permit the bracket 2| and gears 22, 25, 26, to be moved axially of the shafts Il, I2, into alinement with any one of the gears I8. The bracket is moved toward and from the driven shaft I2 about the axis of the driving shaft Il by rotating the pinion 30, to the outer end of which is secured an operating manual in the nature of a disk 3| formed withan arcuate slot 32. After the pinion is rotated a proper distance to bring the gear 25 into engagement with the selected one of the gears 8, a screw 33, extending through the slot 32 and threaded into the plate I3, is tightened and the pinion 30 retained against rotary motion, and the bracket 2| is held in proper adjusted position. The bracket 2| is held in adjusted position against axial movement by set screws 34 threaded into the ends of the sleeve 20 and engaging the surface of the driving shaft It will be observed that this structure does notv employ any handles or the like arranged externally of the frame member for shifting the bracket 2| either axially or radially of the shaft I2. However, the bracket 2| is adequately secured in adjusted position against both axial and radial movements.

What I claim is:

The combination of a frame, driving and driven shafts rotatably mounted in said frame and extending in parallel relationship, of change speed mechanism comprising a bracket rotatably mounted at one end on one of said shafts and being movable axially thereof, said bracket being provided on its opposite end with a gear quadrant, a plurality of gears of different diameter secured to and rotatable with said other shaft, a gear carried by said bracket and arranged con- 15 centrically of the said first mentioned shaft and being rotatable therewith, a second gear carried by the bracket in operative arrangement with said rst gear, an elongated pinion rotatably mounted in the frame and extending parallel to said shafts arranged in sliding mesh with the quadrant on said bracket and being operable from the exterior of. the frame to move said quadrant toward and from said second shaft to move said second gear into and out of engagement with the respective gears carried by said shaft during axial movement of said bracket, and means operable to secure said pinion to said frame and maintain said bracket in adjusted position.

CARL H. BISSELL. 

